Chicago/northern Ind./southern Wis. Aquarists

[Tolak]

Due to the massive amount of rain we've had in the last week they opened the North Branch locks, allowing raw sewage & such into Lake Michigan; http/www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...0,6521700.story

Expect increased chlorine & chloramine levels, as well as traces of heavy metals. Don't skimp with a cheap water treatment for a while, Use one that deals with chlorine, chloramine, ammonia, and metals. Double dosing is a good idea, my tap water smells like a swimming pool. Tetra Aquasafe or Seachem Prime are a good idea.

The Chicago River, for many years, was a dumping ground for many industries, and there are still old sewer lines from long standing metallizing companies and such that drain into the river. All these nice things are backwashing into the lake, and the water supply.

 

[GuppyDude]

I noticed the odd water myself. I don't drink it to begin with, but ill probably hold off on water changes for fish. Milwaukee does the same crap when it rains a lot. I cant believe they're allowed to do that.

 

[afishdude]

me 2

 

[GuppyDude]

There needs to be a petition to get them to stop doing that. I was sure that was something we fixed back in the 60's. Can't believe we're pumping raw sewage into our own water table.

 

[afishdude]

its eather that or it might go into your city water. so they dump it. they do the same thing here (along the Mississippi River)

 

[Tolak]

Well, it's either open the locks on rare occasions, or let the sewers overflow, flooding hundreds, if not thousands of basements. This is what used to happen before the completion of the deep tunnel project, besides having to open the locks a few times yearly. The last time they had to open the locks was 2002.

 

[GuppyDude]

There should be alternatives though, regardless of how long it's been going on we cant keep dumping our crap into the lakes and rivers. Someone just needs to come up with a better system of storing and containing sewage.

 

[afishdude]

would you rather have the crap in the lake or in your basement causing thousends in dammages.

 

[GuppyDude]

No, and i understand why we need that system, but its just a temporary solution. I'm just suggesting that something be done in the mean time that will eventually eliminate the situation all together so that we don't have to dumb into natural environments, or worry about basements flooding.

 

[Tolak]

"Lake Michigan is cold enough that most bacterial and viral critters that swam out with the storm won't survive for long, officials said. Dilution also helps reduce any health threats."


"Although Chicago in the early 1900s reversed the flow of the Chicago River to keep sewage out of the region's supply of drinking water, for decades the district often had to allow the river to flow back out into the lake after heavy storms.

Starting in the mid-1970s, the district built a subterranean labyrinth that can hold about 1.8 billion gallons, roughly the effects of a 1-inch rain throughout the Chicago area.

Two reservoirs still in the works will be able to capture and hold substantially more—18 billion gallons—when completed in 2014"

The deep tunnel project was designed to be a permanent solution, but it is still 7 years away from completion. The scale of this project is huge, not the sort of thing that can be accomplished overnight. I knew the tunnel portion was completed; I had no idea they were working on reservoirs, which seemingly will increase the capacity by 10.

The gov. of Illinois has declared a state of emergency for Cook, and the surrounding counties. Many of the surrounding counties are not hooked up to the deep tunnel project, and rely on the local streams & rivers to take away excess rainfall. If it takes ten times this amount to overwhelm the projected reservoirs it will be beyond state of emergency and more on the scale of a natural disaster.

Bottom line is the water is safe to drink, but due to increased additives you must take precautions for aquatics use.

 

[Yetti]

Well isn't this nice, I will hold off on the water change also. At least one problem was fixed, the BP company will not increase the amount of chemicals dumped into the lake, at least I hope that they will keep their promise.

 

[dollfaced]

BP isn't going to dump more of their stuff into Lake Michigan? That's good to hear and I surely hope it's true. But since the rain flooded our area and there's more stuff in the water will this work? It's what I have. http/www.terrificpets.com/pet_supplies/f...ners/100391.asp
I don't know if I can wait longer for my tank. It hasn't had any changes within a week to a week and a half. It was being treated with Ich medicine and Pimafix since the 18th I believe. I was supposed to change the water on the 23rd according to the ich box directions but I was in Ohio most of the day and drove home through that nasty storm. By the time I got home everything was flooded... I think my angels have cloudy eye too >_>

 

[Yetti]

Do the water change, but as Tolak said you should dose it with at least 4 or more times as much as recommended.

 

[kribensis12]

That should be illeagal, it is bad for the inviroment, in that time whatever in there could kill or damage fish or other aquatic life or the humans that drink it.